Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-08
The Southern Pacific Asks for a Con-
struction Of Section Four, but Re-
ceiyes an EVasive Answer.
The First Act OF the Commission Arrays
Nearly Every Railway in the Conn
try Against the New Law.
The Steamship Lines and Merchants of Bos-
ton Ask Continuance of old Rates
the Export Trade.
WHAT A PROMINENT OFFICIAL SAYS

! opinion among railroad officials in this
city is that the action Of the Interstate
commission in the long and short hauls
/ question concerning southern railroads
will crush the entire measure. They
argue that this is the most vital feature
of the entire act and that the stand taken
| by the commission, even though it be of
temporary nature, is the entering wedge
! that will split the whole log.
"rhere is not railroad of any conse-
| quence in the entire country" said one
prominent railroad executive officer yes
| terday, "that will not make the same
claim as that cOntended for by the south
ern lines, aud the justice of their claims
! cannot fail to be recognized. Here in
almost the first act of the commission they
array against them every railroad that
has directly or remotely a water route
as competitor, and further than this
they have taken such a position as will
soon settle the commercial affairs of the
country for three months or more"
SECTION FOUR OF THE NEW LAW.
WASHINGTON, April The following
correspondence fully explains itself:
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, April 4, 1887.
judi I. NJ Cooley, Chairman.
The question is before Us, in C0mpeti-
ton with the SueZ canal route for bust
ness with China and Japan, whether we
can make competing prices through TO the
Atlantic ports at less rates than local
rates charge, say from San FRANCISCO to
New York, the line from China and japan
being g continuous one in connection
with The Central Pacific and Union Pacific
Railways. The question is also before
III Of m = in L7itN
Cape Horn and the Isthmus of Panama
Railroad, rate that permits shipments
between San Francisco and the Atlantic
ports, these rates, in order to meet COM
petition, being necessarily lower for
longer distances than those charged for
shorter, and far below what would BE- a
reasonable rate for service performed. We
cOnstrue the fourth section Of the inter
state commerce act practically 10 be in
SUBSTANCE the application to Interstate
commerce of the common law principles
that the shipper avail himself of Competi-
ton and that less rate may be charged
for longer than shorter distances, prOvid-
ing more could not be obtained. If the
right of competition is recognized as be-
tween the carrier and shipper, the carry
ing business will not be Interrupted, but
otherwise we shall not be able |
to compete for Canese and
japanese trade with the Sutz canal, and |
also unable sto compete With the water
routes by Panama and Cape Horn for
business originating in California. We
await your construction. Very respect !
fully, LELAND STANFORD,
President Southern Pacific Rallrosk
WASHINGTON, April s. 1887 |
Leland Stanford, San Francisco.
An application to the commission for a |
special exception under. the inter-s tate |
commerce law can only be granted afttr |
investigation into the facts. A verified |
petition setting forth the grounds of the
application should be presented,
Signed T. NJ. COOLEY,
Chairman.
SAN FRANCISCO. CAL, April 5, 1887.
Judge T. NJ. Cooley, Chairman, Washington
We do not ask for ruling upon
special case, but for q construction of |
section 4. AS all business between the
Pacific and Atlantic ports is governed by |
competition, business from the ports of |
China and Japan across me continent
Atlantic ports is governed by competi-
ton, and agents IN China and Japan to
obtain business make rates to meet the
competition of SueZ. One Of the Oriental |
rive in few days with cargo mostly for
points east of the Rocky mountains. II
the rates established by other companies
are maintained the contracts made for
shipment cannot be carried out. All the
through business of the overland lines is /
involved, and we cannot accept and dis
patch freight except upon a general ruling
applicable TO all business. The question
arises upon every ton of freight offered |
for shipment, and practically We find our
selves unable to do through business.
You will see, therefore, that a special
ruling or exception will not meet the case.
Signed. LELAND STANFORD.
WASHINGTON, April I, 1887.
Leland Stanford. Esq President Southern Pa
cific Railway Company, San Francisco, Cal:
The commission were under q mSap-
prehenslon IT gardlng the facts, but they
still hold if, rather tnan take the respon-
sibility of your own construction, you
call for authoritative action, the case must
be formally presented by petition and
then investigated by them.
TSigned T. NJ. COOLEY,
Chairman.
The commission to-day granted the ap-
plication of the Detroit, Grand Haven and |
Milwaukee Railroad Company for the sus-
pension or The operations OF 5ectlO0 + OF
the interstate commerce law SO far as it |
would apply to traffic taken across Lake !
Michigan to Grand Haven, and destined /
to points east of Detroit, for 5 period of
ninety days.
The application of the steamship lines
and merchants of Boston to authorize the |
trunk line railroads from Cnicago to Bos-
ton to continue the export trade on the |
same b sis as heretofore, giving equal
rates with New York on all merchandise !
exported, has been referred to Commls-
stoner Walker for investigation, who will
visit Boston, the commission taking a re-
cess until Friday of next week for that
purpose.
VIOLATION OF THE LAW.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, April Judge Ports, |
general solicitor of the Missouri Pacific /
Railway Company, has given an opinion |